This invention relates to devices that are attachable to doors that prevent that door from being opened.
Most hinged doors have a door knob assembly which includes a door knob on both sides of the door with a shank running through the door connecting the two knobs. The door knob assembly also includes a tumbler mechanism and a bolt that interacts with the door jamb to keep the door closed. A striker plate is usually mounted on the face of the door jamb designed to interact with the bolt. The striker plate has an aperture which holds the bolt when the door is in the closed position. Some times a locking mechanism is incorporated into the door knob assembly. Some times a locking mechanism is not incorporated into the door knob assembly.
Most exterior doors include one or more of a variety of key operated locks to prevent unauthorized entry. Some interior doors have some type of locks.
There are a wide variety of designs of door locks.
There are locks that can be built into the doors and door jambs. An example of this type of lock would be a lock associated with the door knobs. Deadbolts are also built into doors and door jambs.
There are also locking mechanisms that would be considered xe2x80x9cadd on devicesxe2x80x9d or auxiliary door locks. Some of the add on devices would be considered permanent features of the doors. This type would be chain locks and slider locks that could be installed on the inside of a door.
There are also xe2x80x9cadd onxe2x80x9d locking mechanisms or locks devices would not necessarily be considered permanent features of the doors. These locking devices could be easily removed if so desired.
Other auxiliary door locks would be actually be a portable locking device. Some could be used when traveling for example in hotel or motel rooms to provide extra security.
It should be understood that these door locking devices could be used individually and in various combinations.
The xe2x80x9cDoor Lockxe2x80x9d described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,251 awarded to Flinlay is similar to the device disclosed herein however the U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,251 has several shortcomings. The Finley device would be rather awkward to use. It appears that every time the device is placed into the locked position the xe2x80x9ckeepersxe2x80x9d have to be moved one way or the other. The keepers supposedly keep the two ends of the U-bolt from slipping out of the apertures of the striker plate when an unauthorized entry is attempted. There are numerous problems that would be associated with the disclosed xe2x80x9ckeepers.xe2x80x9d It would be very difficult to provide the correct fit between the keepers and the shank of the xe2x80x9cU-boltxe2x80x9d. If the fit is too tight, it may be almost impossible to move them along the shank. Also, if the fit is too loose the keepers would fall off. Additionally, if the keepers were made of plastic material the plastic may shrink and make them almost impossible to move. Also plastic properties change over time which may cause them to crack or deteriorate. Additionally, plastic properties change with different environmental conditions. Changes in temperature and humidity may cause plastic keepers to perform different than intended. The plastic keepers would expand and contract at a different rate than the metal u-bolt which definitely would affect the fit between the keepers and the shank. Additionally, having to deal with the keepers every time the U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,251 device were used to lock a door could be very time consuming. This could cause dangerous time delays if the door must be locked or unlocked in an emergency situation. Additionally, the keepers would ad extra cost for materials and assembly that would have to be factored into the selling price when the U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,251 device is marketed. If the strike plate with 4 screw holes and 4 screws were sold as shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,251 disclosure, four new holes would have to be drilled into the door jamb. This would be very labor intensive. This would require a drill which many consumers may not own. Also the ability to use a drill properly may be beyond the skills of many consumers. Some one may have to be hired to install the U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,251 strike plate properly. This would add additional cost for anyone that may want to install and use that locking device.
It is an object of this invention to provide a door lock device which would eliminate and/or limit unauthorized or forcible entries through that door.
It is an object of this invention to provide a door locking device that could be easily added to a door that already has a lock thereby giving extra security and preventing that door from being opened.
It is an object of this invention to provide a door locking device that could be easily added to a door that does not have any lock thereby giving that door security and preventing that door from being opened.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a door lock that is easy to understand and easy to operate.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a door lock that operates without a key.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a door lock that could be quickly placed into the locked position in the case of an emergency.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a door lock that could be quickly removed from the locked position in the case of an emergency.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a door locking device which is of durable and reliable construction and would be rugged. It would be rather difficult to break the parts during an attempted forced entry.
It is an object of this invention to provide a door lock device that would even prevent an intruder with a master key from gaining unauthorized entry through the door.
It is an object of this invention to provide a door lock device that will create a sound that could be heard if a forced entry is attempted; thereby alerting the person inside the room.
It is an object of this invention to provide a door locking device that could be installed easily by almost anyone.
It is an object of this invention to provide a door locking device that requires no special tools for installation. All that would be required would be a screwdriver.
It is an object of this invention to provide a door lock device that does not structurally alter the door or door jam when installed. Renters would not need special permission to install the device.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a door lock that renters could take along when they move and install the lock at their new apartment.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a door lock device which is simple in design, has a minimum of parts, and would be inexpensive to manufacture.
It is still another object of the present invention is to provide a door lock utilizing a u-bolt and a special strike plate that has a safety catch built into the u-bolt. This keeps the u-bolt in the locked position and prevents the u-bolt from falling off.
It is an additional object of the present invention is to provide a door lock utilizing a u-bolt and a special strike plate that has a safety catch built into the u-bolt that is very simple and dependable. Gravity will cause the notch of the u-bolt to catch in the special apertures of the strike plate. This keeps the u-bolt in the locked position and prevents the u-bolt from falling off.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a door lock device which would be inexpensive to manufacture, thus, could be sold to consumers for a relatively low price making the lock affordable to almost anyone.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a door lock device that utilizes a xe2x80x9cu-shaped elementxe2x80x9d that could be manufactured using a variety of different materials and different manufacturing techniques.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a door lock device that utilizes a U-shaped element that has a coating that provides a cushion.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a door lock device that utilizes a U-shaped element that has a means for keeping the U-shaped element in a locked position built into the U-shaped element.